--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The universe is a communion of subjects…" description: "\"The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.\" — Thomas Berry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/thomas-berry-7391_collections_the-universe-is-a-communion-of-subjects_1921796.png" --- # The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection… ![“The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.” quote by Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/thomas-berry-7391_collections_the-universe-is-a-communion-of-subjects_1921796.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/thomas-berry-7391_collections_the-universe-is-a-communion-of-subjects_1921796.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/thomas-berry-7391_collections_the-universe-is-a-communion-of-subjects_1921796.png) > “The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.” [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The universe is interconnected, a network of relationships rather than isolated things. **In simple terms:** Everything is linked, not separate. Key Takeaway Recognize interdependence. Themes interconnectedness ecology spirituality Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - environmental policy - education - personal relationships Key Concepts systems thinking holism Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing everything as connected change your actions? - What responsibilities arise from this view? A Different Perspective May overlook individual agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communion/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [“What breeds more close communion between subjects than allegiance to the same queen? between brothers, than duty to the same father? between the devout,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/what-breeds-more-close-communion-between-subjects-than-allegiance-to/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [In reality, there is a single integral community of the Earth that includes all its component members whether human or other than human. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/in-reality-there-is-a-single-integral-community-of-the-earth-that/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [...In this world I cannot see the Most High Son of God with my own eyes, except for His Most Holy Body and Blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/in-this-world-i-cannot-see-the-most-high-son-of-god-with-my-own-eyes/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [“Communion gives us warmth. Singleness gives us light. At immeasurable distance stands one single star at the zenith. This star is the God and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/communion-gives-us-warmth-singleness-gives-us-light-at-immeasurable/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. "We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-will-tell-you-why-we-have-these-extraordinary-minds-and-souls-miss/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [True, the fragile bodies of his fellows do not weigh down his plane; true, the fretful minds of weaker men are missing from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/true-the-fragile-bodies-of-his-fellows-do-not-weigh-down-his-plane/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [It is not he who knows most, nor he who hears most, nor yet he who talks most, but he who exercises grace most,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/it-is-not-he-who-knows-most-nor-he-who-hears-most-nor-yet-he-who/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [The one thing that the Catholic Church desires, and that I seek as Bishop of Rome, “the Church which presides in charity”, is communion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-one-thing-that-the-catholic-church-desires-and-that-i-seek-as/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [We seem to have lost contact with the earlier, more profound functions of art, which have always had to do with personal and collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-london/we-seem-to-have-lost-contact-with-the-earlier-more-profound-functions/) [Peter London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-london/) > [The answer to any challenge you are having has nothing to do with God's willingness to help. It has to do with your acceptance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/the-answer-to-any-challenge-you-are-having-has-nothing-to-do-with-god/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [“Laymen are not allowed to carry around the blessed Host to throw at people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-wright-2/laymen-are-not-allowed-to-carry-around-the-blessed-host-to-throw-at/) [John C Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-wright-2/) > [“Is the Lord’s Supper only for Christians? Whenever I ask this question I immediately remember the character of those that partook of the Last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/is-the-lord-s-supper-only-for-christians-whenever-i-ask-this-question/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [Not simply the righteousness of our Saviour, not simply the beauty of His holiness or the graces of His character, are we to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adoniram-judson-gordon/not-simply-the-righteousness-of-our-saviour-not-simply-the-beauty-of/) [Adoniram Judson Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adoniram-judson-gordon/) > [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More by Thomas Berry > [Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/teaching-children-about-the-natural-world-should-be-seen-as-one-of/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [All human activities, professions, programs, and institutions must henceforth be judged primarily by the extent to which they inhibit, ignore, or foster a mutually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/all-human-activities-professions-programs-and-institutions-must/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [The universe must be experienced as the Great Self. Each is fulfilled in the other: the Great Self is fulfilled in the individual self,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/the-universe-must-be-experienced-as-the-great-self-each-is-fulfilled/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [To attain peace among the nations in any dynamic or enduring form requires not simply political negotiation but a new mode of consciousness. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/to-attain-peace-among-the-nations-in-any-dynamic-or-enduring-form/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [The divine communicates to us primarily through the language of the natural world. 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The human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/the-universe-is-a-unity-an-interacting-and-genetically-related/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [The future rests in the religious, political, economic and cultural capacity of humans to establish this larger context in which the particular traditions will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/the-future-rests-in-the-religious-political-economic-and-cultural/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [We see quite clearly that what happens to the nonhuman, happens to the human. What happens to the outer world, happens to the inner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/we-see-quite-clearly-that-what-happens-to-the-nonhuman-happens-to-the/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [Because of this erotic bond, the earth becomes luxuriant in its every aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/because-of-this-erotic-bond-the-earth-becomes-luxuriant-in-its-every/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [Our fulfillment is not in our isolated human grandeur, but in our intimacy with the larger earth community, for this is also the larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/our-fulfillment-is-not-in-our-isolated-human-grandeur-but-in-our/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [We can break the mountains apart; we can drain the rivers and flood the valleys. 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We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [This is an extraordinary illustrated collection of Chinese herbsaccompanied by concise and expert comments. Jing-Nuan Wu has succeeded incompiling this most unique and informative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koji-nakanishi/this-is-an-extraordinary-illustrated-collection-of-chinese/) Koji Nakanishi > [I have a large watch collection, and classic watches are especially important to me. I had a silver Rolex, and I actually gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-have-a-large-watch-collection-and-classic-watches-are-especially/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [By calling it a memoir, I meant is as a collection of memories. 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